Sir Jack Richard Butland - KBE

1 Nov

Food manufacturer Jack Butland was born in Hokitika but is remembered as a true-blue Aucklander. He pioneered the processing and packaging of food, and the product most associated with him is Chesdale cheese.

But the other side of Butland was his generosity. He was the leading public benefactor of his day, donating at least $500,000 to a variety of causes.

Butland entered the workforce as a bank clerk. Later he worked as a salesman for a rubber company and then decided to go into business, collecting agencies for imported foodstuffs.

He founded J R Butland Pty in 1922, NZ Cheese four years later, Butland Tobacco in 1936, and Butland Industries in 1949.